The Ombudsman expects the DPWH’s full and immediate compliance with the directive. Cabral, who had been linked to questioned flood control projects, was found on December 18 unconscious and unresponsive around 20 to 30 meters below a highway after instructing her driver to leave her along a stretch of Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet. She was pronounced dead shortly after midnight on December 19. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier said Cabral had surveyed the ravine prior to her fall, a circumstance that may point to the seriousness of her intent. The Office of the Ombudsman has issued a subpoena directing the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to turn over all computers and electronic devices that were officially issued to former undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral. In a statement released on Monday, Ombudsman spokesperson Mico Clavano said the devices will undergo forensic examination by a law enforcement agency to determine whether any data had been altered, deleted, or tampered with following the public disclosure of the alleged flood control scandal. However, the Philippine National Police has stressed that its investigation remains ongoing, noting that while some evidence suggests possible suicide, no final conclusion has yet been reached.
